1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet multi-function machine having scanning and printing functions, and more particularly, to an inkjet multi-function machine in which a scanner is installed on a carriage for reciprocating a print head in right and left directions along a carriage shaft to thereby allow the print head and the scanner to perform both scanning and printing operations using one driving apparatus for driving the carriage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional attempts to improve office efficiency and realize office automation have included equipment improvements such as multi-function machines in which various functions, for example, copying, printing, and faxing functions are incorporated in a single body.
Such a multi-function machine is usually provided with a scanner unit having a scanner to scan a document, and a printer unit having a print head or a developing device as an image forming apparatus. Generally, the scanner unit and the printer unit are constructed such that they are separately operated to perform scanning and printing operations, respectively.
Referring to FIG. 1, a partial cross sectional view is provided to illustrate a general inkjet multi-function machine 1 having both scanning and printing functions.
The inkjet multi-function machine 1 comprises a scanner unit 10 to scan documents D, and a printer unit 50 to print data on sheets of paper P.
The scanner unit 10 is provided with a document loading frame 11 comprising a document supply tray for loading documents D, a document sensor 14 to detect whether the documents D are loaded, a document pickup roller 12 to pick up the documents D according to the operation of the document sensor 14, and a document friction pad 13 coming in contact with the document pickup roller 12 at a predetermined pressure to separate and feed documents D one at a time by the friction force therebetween. The scanner unit 10 is further provided with a document feed roller 15 to align a leading end of the documents D, then feed the documents D toward a white roller 18 and thereby bring the documents D into contact with a document guide frame 21 and into an opposing position relative to a scanner 17. Still further, the scanner unit 10 is provided with a scanner 17 to read data from the documents D delivered by the white roller 18, and a document discharge roller 19 to discharge the documents D from the scanner 17 to the outside of the machine.
The printer unit 50 is provided with a paper cassette 52 to stack sheets of paper P, and a paper pickup roller 53 to pick up a sheet of paper P one at a time from the paper cassette 52. The printer unit 50 is further provided with a paper feed roller 54 to align a leading end of the paper P picked up by the paper pickup roller 53 and to feed the sheet of paper P towards a carriage through a paper register sensor 55. Still further, the printer unit 50 is provided with a carriage 58 to reciprocate an ink cartridge 56 in right and left directions, and a paper discharge roller 61 to discharge the sheet of paper P printed by the print head 57 to the outside of the machine. The ink cartridge 56 has a print head 57 to jet ink onto the sheet of paper P fed by the paper feed roller 54.
In such a conventional multi-function machine 1, the scanner 17 and the print head 57 can be independently driven since the scanner unit 10 and the printer unit 50 are constructed to be completely separated from each other. However, since the scanner and print head are respectively driven by separate driving units, there are problems in that machine weight and size are increased, and machine structure becomes more complicated.
Also, in the conventional multi-function machine 1, since the scanner 17 of the scanner unit 10 is used only in the scanning operation, separate sensors are required if the multi-function machine 1 is designed such that during the printing operation of the printer unit 50, functions for detecting head characteristic such as a dot size, a nozzle error and the like, as well as detecting the size and the skew extent of the paper are to be performed.
If the additional separate sensors are installed, the fabrication cost of the multi-function machine 1 is increased still further, thereby adversely effecting the competitive price thereof.
Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method to allow a print head and scanner to perform scanning and printing operations with a minimum of required driving apparatus and sensors.